Which Cape Verde Island is best for you?

Best for families – Boa Vista

With a name that means "beautiful view", Boa Vista is exactly what it says on the tin. Its 55 kilometres of coastline includes a selection of Blue Flag beaches, so sunbathing sessions on white sands and cooling dips in turquoise waters are covered.

For a family-friendly getaway, look no further than Riu Palace Boavista. This All Inclusive resort has a beachfront postcode and comes with a RiuLand kids’ club, evening entertainment and a long list of watersports. Oh, and parents are looked after at the spa, too.

Find out more about the Riu Palace Boavista.

Best for couples – Sal

If you’re dreaming of some just-the-two-of-us time, Sal is the island to go for. A trip to the impressive salt lakes in Pedra de Lume, where you can have a therapeutic treatment and a swim, is a must-do experience. The water here is so dense that you’ll float on the surface without any effort. Or, if you fancy seeing the island from a different perspective, try an adults-only catamaran trip. You’ll discover hidden coves and sandy bays, before dining on deck in the sunshine.

Top it all off with a stay at the Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa. It has gourmet restaurants, four swimming pools and a spa. You can also book a room in the adults-only area. Here, you’ll get special perks like private access to The Level Lounge and adults-only pool. Bliss.

Find out more about the Melia Dunas Beach Resort & Spa.

Best for adrenaline seekers – both

If lying on a beach all week isn’t your idea of fun, don’t worry. Both Sal and Boa Vista have a great quad-biking scene. Saddle up and drive off-road into the desert, or zoom along jagged coastal roads. Either way, you’ll be rewarded with no-filter-needed views over sand dunes and endless ocean.

See yourself as more of a water baby? Take to the waves with some watersports off the coast of Santa Maria, where you’ll find Sal’s eight-kilometre beach. Over on Boa Vista, you can catch tuna and marlin on a big-game fishing trip.

And, of course, there’s always Cape Verde’s most famous sporting attraction – windsurfing. Whether you’re a stand-up-superstar or a bit of a belly-flopper, the waves here are some of the best in the world. So, grab a board and give it a go.

Check out our Cape Verde experiences.

Best for explorers – Boa Vista

The waters surrounding Boa Vista are great for snorkelling. Beneath the surface, you’ll find a colourful world of tropical fish, bright coral and mysterious shipwrecks. The most famous wreck is Cabo Santa Maria. Its rusty skeleton is wedged in the sands off Sal Rei – Boa Vista’s colourful capital – just a 15-minute drive from Riu Palace Boavista.

Rather stay on dry land? Go on a sightseeing tour of Sal Rei and tick off top spots like the Fatima Chapel, before visiting a local market to sip on Cape Verdean cocktails and try tasty local dishes like cachupa – it’s the island’s national dish, made with beans, corn, vegetables and meat or fish.

Did you know?

Cape Verde is a popular nesting site for loggerhead turtles. These gentle giants swim to Sal, Boa Vista and the neighbouring Santiago between July and September every year to lay their eggs. And if you’re lucky, you might spot them when you’re walking on the beach. Just remember to not to disturb them, as they’re listed as an endangered species.